Air vent in wooden garden decking

[Shug]

Hi,

I've recently moved into a house which had a wooden decking added outside the back door earlier this year.

Our surveyor told us that the decking was covering an air brick into our cellar, so to reinstate the air circulation, we'd need to add some ventilation to it.

Is there a specific type of wooden vent I can buy to keep with the look of the current decking? Or am I going to have to fit one of these brass/stainless steel/white plastic vents you get in the sheds?

cheers

Shug

[Mogga]

Or just cut some attractive holes into it?

[David W.E. Roberts]

Are you sure that it is the decking (the wood you walk on) and not the frame to which the decking is attached that is blocking the air brick?

If there is just wood above the vent, then presumably cutting the ends back by eg. 20mm would provide an airway to the air brick, and not cause any hazard as it will be right up against the wall.

If a supporting memeber is blocking the air brick, you may have to lift and re-lay the decking to allow air in.

HTH

Dave R

[Phil B]

Or if you can't free it from the decking side, can you cut a new airbrick hole? With a vent to keep mice etc out. Why not ring your surveyor and ask him to expand on it. I've always found them very happy to do so and suggest options. Phil

[The Medway Handyman]

Good question. As long as the ledger isn't covering an air brick I can't see a problem. As long as there are gaps of 5mm between the boards there will be plenty of airflow through the deck.

I always leave gaps in the ledger plate where the air bricks are.

[Shug]

Thanks for all your suggestions guys.

To clarify, the entire decking structure itself is apparently preventing the airbrick from 'breathing'.

It's not that there's an individual piece of wood in any form that actually covers the airbrick.

airflow through the deck.

I really don't know anything about decking - it came with the house, but I'm sure the gaps between the boards are less than 5mm. I'll double-check tonight. But to confirm - you're saying that decking should be fitted with 5mm gaps between the boards you walk on, and this is ample airflow? Makes perfect sense when you put it that way.

However, I think the gaps between the boards are much less than that - they may not be right up against each other, but there's very little gap.

Basically, I'd rather be safe than sorry - if I can (or need to) do something now to prevent any damp problems later, I'll do it - even if it's not that pretty.

Like I said in the OP - my surveyor brought it up - it probably wouldn't even have occured to me! =:-O

Cheers

Shug

[The Medway Handyman]

All the books & info I've read suggests a 10mm gap, but IMO that makes no allowance for the time of year the deck was installed.

I built a deck last week, hissing down with rain for the first day & a half, so the timber was soaking wet. I used a 4mm gap because the moisture content will never be greater. In the summer the gap will increase to maybe

8-10mm.

Because of the wet weather the gaps should be at their smallest, they will open in hot dry weather.

How are the edges of the deck finished? Is it attached to the house on just one side or more?

Photo?

Surveyors don't have much respect on UK DIY :-)